About the Design Process

First we discuss your ideas through email, Telephone, Skype or even better- in person. We learn about who you are, what are your needs and desires, you budget and much more, we take a lot of notes and then begin to prepare the preliminary layouts, based on all factors.

First Design ideas are usually ready in about one week!

During the early design process of Concept Development, we present many interesting concepts and site layout studies. We show the critical access points, solar orientation, wind and views. We comply with proper building codes, setbacks and percentage of site coverage as well as local ordinances and neighborhood regulations.

During this time many different options are studied and presented to the Client. We design several excellent floor plan versions and eventually refine these down to accomplish the logical, creative and exciting Floor and Site Plans and creative building designs that we are known for.

Once the general layout of Floor Plans and Site Plans are well understood, we can then proceed to design the 3D building massing, and imovie fly-throughs where you can witness it's shape and character evolve over teh weeks into very realistic virtual reality architectural world view.

This Concept Development Stage is usually four to five weeks or more...depending upon size and complexity of your project.

(We can also offer Rush Service for special requirements.)

As we create your floor plans, we make many Progress Presentations where we walk you through the thought process for the arrangement of spaces, the functionality and creative features, we listen to your comments and make many revisions until we get it all working the best possible way for your needs and site conditions.

Then as the 3D model begins to take form, we present dozens of study images and actual 3D walk-throughs of different parts of your new home or commercial space so you can begin to get the real feeling of your new design from both the exterior and the interior flows.

NOW Offering Virtual Reality! Fully immersive 3D viewing from any point in the design as a full 360x180 Spherical Panorama! (Your smartphone+ Google Cardboard, Daydream, etc.)

We offer reasonable fees that are staged for the Two Main Phases of Design Development Drawings:

Here we discover the actual Project Scope while developing detailed CAD designs for the overall Site Plan, the Creative & Functional Floor Plans, Building Elevations+Sections and then finish with a dynamic 3D Digital Model with movie fly-through.

We spend considerable time revising and fine tuning all aspects of these layouts to meet your specific requirements, and there is much back and forth communication until we get it all 'just right'!

This is where the expertise in good Architectural Design results in the actual bespoke design character of your project, and ultimately how effectively you invest your funds in the construction process.

Fees for this first stage CONCEPT DISCOVERY PHASE with CAD Plans and animated movie generally cost $2 per sf of Built Up Area for Projects up to 5,000 sf, then $1.75/sf if over 5,000 sf size. (Floor Areas Under Roof + Garage, Basements, Guest Houses, gazebos etc.)

The below Architectural design services are provided under our Concept Design Stage of Project Discovery that we do on most new project designs, Villas and Commercial projects:

Site Plan + Floor Plan Design

Elevation Design

Building Section Design

3D Digital Model Design

High Resolution Image Renderings

Animated Movie Design

These Concept Designs will give you the perfect design framework to carry forward into the next stages of project development that are the Construction Documents.

See next tab below.

Following the Concept Design Phase we will now have a well thought out custom floor plan accurately drawn in auto-cad plus a highly detailed 3D model with animated video fly throughs and lush renderings of the full design presentation.

We then follow up with the next major development stage: Detail Drawings and Construction Documents.

This involves making the highly Detailed Architectural Plans that also integrate the Engineering drawings and requirements for Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Structural and others (Lighting, Entertainment, Security, Landscape).

On many international designs when we create the overall Grand Concepts under our Concept Design Phase and then we team up with your local Engineer or Architect of Record to insure a smooth completion and permit submittal of the Construction Docs.

There is also the Interior Design Drawings which includes all the detailing for bidding and constructing of the Interior decorative elements on the walls and ceiling, the lighting, all finishes, patterns, niches, accents, bathrooms, stair detailing, soft furnishings and much more.

Villas, Offices, Hotels, Towers, any built structure~ they are all quite complicated when you factor in every detail.

Having a great design and a fully detailed set of Construction Documents makes all the difference when investing your precious capital into permanent structures.

"To better insure a successful result and a smooth process, it only makes sense to invest the right time and money on the planning and drawing stage."

Once the functional aspects have been designed (Floor Plan, Elevations, Sections & 3d digital model) during the initial Concept Development Phase, then we have good understanding of the look of your building or space, the scope and complexity of the design elements and a good understanding of costs.

Following this Concept Design is the second stage of design called Construction Documentation stage.

Here all necessary items such as specific dimensioning, detailing for stairs and niches, architectural coordination with MEPS Consultants for layouts of structure, beams and foundations, water/sewer plumbing lines- locations for literally every item that will go into the project, material specifications, size and type of windows, doors, equipment and much more as required to follow local building and zoning codes and to be a successful project...too many items to list here.

The floor plans are the basic layout of all spaces, reflective of the building site and other factors, much critical thought goes into this planning but once they are complete after about 6-8 months, then you will ready to obtain building permits after submitting the fully detailed construction documents showing all designs and calculations as well complying with % site coverage, building setbacks from property line, boundary wall, entry gate and more.

"At some point the builder will be looking at these very diagrams, standing out on the hot, busy job site trying to accurately place every exact item."

After creating a beautiful new design and producing an accurate set of Construction Docs, we will then be in a strong position to obtain accurate and comprehensive bids from competing contractors and can then value engineer the budget as necessary.

Buildings are very complicated items and require much thought and planning to make the necessary drawings, plan on a minimum of 4-8 months or more if its a large complicated project. These Construction Docs are what you and your Contractor work off of in order to avoid unforeseen conflicts or situations and to avoid major 'change orders' and additional charges for things not shown on plans or for making too many 'field changes' during the in-field effort to assemble/build the project, taking from several months for small commercial interiors to well over one year to 18 months and more for big homes and buildings, requiring much effort by hundreds of participants.

The fees for full Construction Drawings are typically around 6% of the approximated construction costs and these directions/detailed architectural drawings are what guides the capital investment you are making into hard fixed items such as concrete, steel, marble, lighting, finishes and functional execution, design and build efficiency that will ultimately result in a beautiful new building to last a lifetime.

Generally our two stage design fees for Architectural Concept Design + Professionally Stamped Construction Documents will be based on a lump sum amount of $7/sf plus other required costs such as MEPS Consultants, Site Surveys, Civil Engineering, Permit fees, etc.

If full Interior Design detailed drawings are requested it will be additional $3-6/sf with discount offered if all services provided at the same time.

The various fee options for Engineering, Site Design, Interiors etc can be more accurately discussed after the actual design and complexity and size of project is known following the Concept Design Stage as described above.

We hope this sheds some light on the process, it can be very complicated to fully anticipate the actual scope of effort and time that will go into making these kinds of custom designs, but in the end you will be well rewarded with a responsible, highly functional and attractive design!

Most of our waking hours and all our sleeping ones are spent in shelter. We cannot avoid interacting with where we live. At all scales from intimate to greatest, for better or worse, we live within and our lives are shaped, by our built environment.

Architecture is the sole profession whose members are professionally qualified to design and provide advice, including informed technical and aesthetic judgment, on the built environment.

Architects provide services and solutions with technical competency and aesthetic sensitivity suitable to the physical, social, cultural, and economic environment, bringing inspiration to the community and our every day lives.

In matters of public health and safety, architects are obliged to serve the public interest and respond to the public need. And now, these concepts of health and safety have been expanded to encompass responsible sustainability of the global environment and accessibility for all persons.